Fastening point for shank stiffeners



Agg. 11,l v193.1.

R. E. BARTx-:Ls

FASTENING POINT FOR SHANK STIFFENERS Filed NOV. 24I 1926 f7-w69@ fr:mmzmweza Patented ugQll, 1931 PATENT ois-FICE REINHARDy E. BARTELS, 0FLYN, MASSACHUSETTS; IDA M. BARTELS AND R. BUR- LEIGH BARTELS EXECUTOBS0F SAID REINHARD E. BARTELS, DECEASED FASTENING rorivfry non sHANKSTIFFENERS Application led November 24, 1926; Serial No. 150,559.

This invention relates to reinforcing stiffenersor shank pieces adaptedto .be incorporated or located in the sole portionof a shoe tostrengthen and support the arch portion Shank-stife-ners of this typeare customarily made of suitable sheet metal 'or strip steel forlightness and strength, additional strength and stiffness being securedby forming the piece with a longitudinal channel or rib. Metalstiffeners are customarily secured near their ends to the shank piece orto the sole itself byvpoints or prongs of metal struck up from thematerial of the piece itself or by tacks driven through holes previouslyformed in the metal. It is, however, dersir able in some cases to supplyfastening points at intermediate positions also on the stiffener betweenthe ends thereof. Vhen such points are struck up from the metal of thepiece itself, it tends to weaken the stiener materially at a point wherestrength is most needed,v

that is, at the bottom of the longitudinal channel, or looking at it inan inverted manner, from the top of the rib. By my invention, I avoidthis weakening of the piece at the point where the greatest stressescome land at the same time provide a simple, economical and effectiveway of producing a shank stiffener with sharp points of any desiredlength, shape and material. In carrying out my in-` vention, I providepoints or prongs atany desired places on my shank stiffeners withoutweakening the material thereof by securing tacks or other suitablefastening elements as by spot-welding 4or other equivalent means. Otheradvantageous features of my invention will appear from the disclo.

sure thereof as given in the following description and on the drawings,of which,-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of ashank stiffener provided with one ofmy improved reinforcing points at each end.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing two points at each end.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a. stiifener showing my improved pointsapplied at each end and at the midpoint thereof.

Figure 4 is a perspective of a metal stiffener showing at the endsthereof prongs struck up from the metal, this stiffener hav- Referringto the drawingsin detail, 10 rep-k resents a shankstiffener preferablyof steel or other metal. These stiffeners are customarily stamped fromsheet metalor strip steel, but may be formed in any otherdesired/manner. In order to give strength and stiffness to thesemembers, they may be bent laterally to form a longitudinal rib or channl nel'll. In order to fit the curve of the arch of the shoe, the member10 as a whole is longitudinally bent into a corresponding curve as shownin the figures. The channel or rib l1 maybe formed from a portion of the`material of the piece as shown in Figure 5 or may include the ,entirewidth of the stitfener as atl2 in Figure 6. These two shapes are merelyillustrative of variouslways of ,forming the longitudinal channels.yHeretofore to secure the shank-stiffeners in place, points or prongssuch as shown at 13 have been struck up from the metal to serve asfastening means, or holes have been provided through which tacks mayv bedriven. These naturally detract from the strength ofthe stiif'ener atthepointV where the metal is4 struck therefrom. Such a weakening at theends of the piece is ordinarily not objectionable, but where fasteningpoints are desiredbetween the ends, tha.tis,g0ng the rib or kchannel 1l,since the greateststresses come at the crown of the ridge (that is, thebottom of the channel), the removal of metal at that point weakens thestructure to a serious degree andrenders the stiener liable to fractureatthat point. By my invention, I have discovered that the securing ofsmall tacks 14 or other suitable pointed metal pieces to thestitfenerwherever fastening points are desired takesnothing from the`strength of the member, but actually eres terial of the fastening pointsso as to enable them for example to be clinched readily, thesecharacteristics may be had independently of the material which is usedfor the reinforcing member.- According to present practice, a largepro-portion of the metal shank stitfeners now on the Amarket are made ofcold rolled steel, this material being sufciently malleable to permitprongs to be struck therefrom which can be suitably clinched in theleather or fiber board into which they are driven. Many preferstiifeners of hardened steel, however, especially for such stifeners asthat shown in Figure 7. It

is not practicable to strike up prongs from such metal as the prongs arebrittle and break olf when an attempt is made to clinch them. By myinvention, I can supply hardened steel stiffeners With malleable prongssecured integrally thereto, thus obtaining the desired characteristicsfor both the stitfener and the pron-gs. While I may use any other metalor combination of metals for the reinforcing member and for the pointsattached thereto, I find that certain grades of steel are verysatisfactory, these being easily welded together and galvanized,enamelled, japanned, or otherwise coated, to prevent corrosion. Byspot-vvelding tacks 14 at desired peints on the stiifening member, Iprovide points which are integral with said member and may be varied inmaterial and shape to suit any particular requirements. These points 14which may comprise any suitable piece of metal having a projecting pointsuch or example as an ordinary tack may be Welded or otherwise securedto the stiffening member wherever fastening points are desired. Thedrawings illustrate ay number of different examples ofhow such pointsmay be located, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself toany particular arrangement of the fastening points norl to anyparticular shape or shapes of the reinforcing member.

Having thus described certain embodiments of my invention it should beyevident to those skilled in the' art that various changes andmodifications may be made therein Without departing from its spirit orscope as defined by thel appended claims.

` I claim:-

1. Themethod of making a shank sti'ener,

Which comprises cutting a blank, molding said blank transversely to forma longitudinal rib, and Welding a fastening point to said rib.

2. A shank stiifener having a longitudinal rib, and a fastening pointWelded to said rib intermediate the ends thereof. 3. A hard metal shanks-tiifener having an imperforate longitudinal rib extending for aportion of the length thereof, and a prong of softer metal projectingfrom said rib.

4. A sha-nk stiffener comprising a longitudinally curved metal strip,said strip being laterally bent to form a longitudinal rib eX- ten-dinga portion of its length, and a fastening point Welded to said ribintermediate the ends thereof.

In ltestimony whereof I have aHiXed my signature.

REINHARD E. BARTELS.

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